Team spokesman Jim Saccomano said the increases are in line with most teams in the NFL.

"It is the cost of doing business," Saccomano said.

Zimmerman on hold

This could only mean the Pro Football Hall of Fame is nothing other than better organized this year. Or it could mean this is the year former Broncos left tackle Gary Zimmerman is elected.

"I did get a call from the Hall of Fame giving me instructions on what I should do Saturday," Zimmerman said Friday from his home in Bend, Ore. "I'm not supposed to answer my phone until I hear something from them, things like that. This is the first time they did something like that, so I'm hoping it's a good sign. But I've learned not to get my hopes up. I'm just going to wait and see.

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The Hall's 44 voters won't begin to discuss the 17 finalists, much less vote on them, until this morning.

Still hoping for Plummer

Tampa Bay Buccaneers executive Bruce Allen said Friday here that the team still holds out hope that retired quarterback Jake Plummer reconsiders and decides to play for them this year.

"The light is still on," Allen said. "We've talked to Jake ... he's a good guy. We hope he changes his mind."

The Buccaneers traded for Plummer last March, a day after he told the Broncos he was retiring. Plummer is living in Idaho and has said he has no plans of returning. If Plummer doesn't report to the Buccaneers by the draft in late April, Denver will get a seventh-round pick for him. If he does report by then, Denver get a fourth-round pick.

Tampa Bay is seeking up to $7 million in signing bonus money from Plummer. The grievance is expected to be heard in the coming months.

Lynch at Super Bowl

When the Broncos' disappointing 7-9 season ended, veteran safety John Lynch figured he would have made up his mind by now on whether to retire or return for a 16th season. But Lynch arrived in Arizona for a few Super Bowl obligations still unsure if he would play another season.

He expects clarity to come soon after he's finished playing in his ninth Pro Bowl next week in Honolulu.

"I think I told you guys by Super Bowl I thought I would know," Lynch said "But I don't know. I think the Pro Bowl will be a great opportunity. You go over there and it's always fairly relaxed. So when I'm over there, it will give me a chance to ask: 'Is this fun, or does this feel like working?' "

Footnote

Former Denver punter Paul Ernster had a work out this week in Buffalo.

Missy Franklin, Jenny Simpson, Adeline Gray and three other Colorado women could be big players at the 2016 Rio OlympicsWhen people ask Missy Franklin for her thoughts about the Summer Olympics that will begin a year from Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro, she hangs a warning label on her answer.